Monday, December 27, 2010

This is the free pattern that I post earlier. I made this purse for my Hairdresser? Stylist? Not sure what the PC term is, but that is who this was for.Here is a cowl that I made for my friend Em. This was a quick and easy project and best of all... a free pattern! Found hereI couldn't get a great picture of this for some reason (the lighting was bad no matter what I did) but this is the Princess and the Pea doll that I made for my niece. I also bought her a Princess and the Pea book to go with it. I got this knitting pattern from this book.Here is a scarf that I crocheted. I "made up" this pattern, which was just rows of color, each in a row of single crochet and a row of double crochet. I got a little carried away with this one and the finished measurement was something like 10' from end to end. It was fun to make, though! :-)I look like a dork in this picture :-) My hair looks strange and I have a weird smirk on my face but it is the headband that matters. I made this for my son's Kindergarten teacher for Christmas. I sort-of made up this pattern too.And some hand warmers to match for the same Kindergarten teacher.Here is the frog/turtle flip toy that I made for my nephew. I got the pattern out of this book.The magic.The other side.

I already have a list of projects to make in the new year. First up... cleaning house :-)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Every year for the past 3 years, I have made my Christmas cards. It gets a little tricky if I don't have any ideas and for the sheer fact that I make 120 each year, but I enjoy doing it. This year's card turned out nice. I made snow globe hang-tags for the front that can be removed and hung as an ornament on a Christmas tree. I sewed each of the hangtags with my sewing machine and used the excess thread as the tie. I sandwiched sequence in between the photo and a piece of acetate so that they moved like snow, similar to a real snow globe. I made and hand stamped the design for the base and added a red card stock backing before I sewed them all together. The background on the front I stamped with acrylic snowflake stamps with a silver metallic stamp pad. On the inside of the card I sewed a silver card stock circle that read, "Merry Christmas". Because of lighting and that the card stock had a shimmer to it, I was unable to get a good/un-blurry picture of the inside, but there is a close up detail below. I have already started brain storming ideas for my 2011 Christmas cards. :-)

Have a safe and Merry Christmas and my next post will be all of the Christmas presents that I made this year :-)

Thursday, December 2, 2010

.... to be Jolly? Giving? Knitting? I say: ALL 3!!! So here is a free pattern! I wanted to make a cable knit purse for a friend for Christmas and couldn't find a pattern that I liked... so I made my own. Hope you all enjoy this and please e-mail me with any questions. Happy Holidays!

(the following two rows is the repeat pattern. These are the 2 rows you will knit unless you are on a cable row. All cable rows are knit on the right size, so all wrong side rows are knitted in the pattern labeled 'Wrong Side row' shown below).

With right sides together, using a darning needle and the leftover tails or leftover yarn, sew up the sides 9" using a whip stitch. Turn work right side out. Wrap the top of the front side or back side of purse (the cast on or bind off row) around one of the bambo handles toward the inside of purse, just enough to cover and using the same yarn, whip stitch along the entire edge. Repeat with other side. Tuck in ends.

At this point you can line the purse, which is optional. I always recommend lining a knitted purse to give it stability. I cut a rectangle of fabric 22"x30". I folded it in half lengthwise so that that the folded measurement was 22"x15". With the right sides together and using my sewing machine and a 2" seam allowance, I sewed up the sides about 9 1/2". I leave 2" on each side so that I have plenty to work with. I then place the lining into the purse and pin into place with the right side of the fabric showing. I turned the fabric edges toward the wrong side of the fabric and I hand sew it into place using a matching sewing thread. When I sew the top portions, I will cover the whip stitched edge (around the handle), which makes a cleaner look. This part sounds pretty complicated, but it is much easier than it sounds and become pretty self explanatory as you go.